Big Snow Fall last night

Although I have no pictures as yet, this morning Prague and I woke up to many inches of fresh good packing snow.. perfect for making snowmen. It was really quite a winter wonderland.

Unfortunately I was a bit under the weather... so no snowmen just yet...

I will have to settle for reading a book this day...

The gateway to Karlstejn...

Applesauce

Last Night I made applesauce. It is becoming a habit. I have been making it almost every weekend lately... big apples, a cinnamon stick and a few tubes of sugar... Yumm

Sunday Morning Coffee

...with a Holiday touch

First Snow Fall... Yesterday

Prague got its first measurable snow of the season yesterday and it is still around this morning throughout its many parks.

Yes, I know you all have seen snow before...

Strahovské Monestary in Petřín...

Tree with Birdfeeder

St. Havel's Church

found at the end of Havelska ulice, near the end of Vaclavske namesti

Zvonice Restuarant - The Bell tower on Thanksgiving

Jindřišská věž; The ancient bell tower on Jindřišská ulice... built in 1452, turned into a restaurant not long ago. 7th floor, Great views of the city, imaginative & superb game cuisine, two small cookie cutters, a massive bell, Chateauneuf du Pape 2006, chocolate w/cranberries... and a nice heart. Charmed. Dik zase.

Happy Thanksgiving

Today is "Turkey Day" in the US. Thanksgiving. A Day to remember the blessings we have been given and to be thankful for much in Life. Also, a Day Reminding me of the great Home smells of the Turkey roasting in Mom's oven for hours, a myriad of vegetables to be served, breads and Apple and Pumpkin pies, football games and being with Family. A day to be thankful for much: My Children, My Family, Friends; good health; Friend(s) here; and ... 'just because'.

Wishing my Children, Family and Friends back home a Happy Thanksgiving..

and in Prague...this evening, a friend and I will share wine and time over a nice dinner and conversation in remembrance of This Thanksgiving Day and I will be Thankful as I sit there, for the many nice things in my Life at this moment.

Jindřišská věž

...This evening. ...This tower. ...Tesim se na...

But if the while I think on thee, dear friend,
All losses are restored and sorrows end.
~William Shakespeare

A Small Church in a Vineyard

Happy Birthday Daughter !!

Dearest Daughter: Wishing you a Very very nice and Happy Day! I will be thinking of you on this day, throughout every minute. I am sorry that this is the 3rd year in a row that I have not been able to be with you on your birthday. But still, you are in my heart every second today and I wish you the very best of days and all things good. Happy Birthday 'Al'. I Love you very much. ~ Dad

Karlštejn, again

I have wanted to return to Karlštejn just to take photos on a beautiful day.

So this afternoon, I took a Risk. This morning in Prague was overcast and gray, but I noticed a bit of blue sky around 1:00 to the south, then somewhat quickly went to Smichov nadrází and caught the 1:47 CityElefant south to Karlštejn in hopes there would be blue sky. Plus I really wanted to go someplace today.

The journey took about 30 minutes, and I kept looking off in the direction of Karlštejn only to see huge cloud banks in that direction, which would have been in the background or overhead.

But upon arriving in Karlštejn, I looked up into the hills where the castle would appear and as you can see: Amazingly beautiful clear Blue skies.... with only a hint of clouds. The sun was low in the sky.

Really wonderful. I walked about for a couple hours. Only a few people were around and it was a mildly crisp late Autumn day and really beautiful AND as you can see, I finally got some pictures that I had been wanting to capture all year.

Along the Vltava

Gated Castle Steps

...so, thought I would re-read....

...After what Einstein said below, I thought perhaps I should re-read this book. ;-) over a glass of Beaujolais Nouveau.

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. ~ Albert Einstein

..and I am sure about the latter.

It defines me at times, especially yesterday. Hope it is repairable ....& forgivable, with no lasting damage.

...and Now, after another day of walking around, I will wash the "stupid" sticker off my forehead and put On a new stencil saying: "Still learning", in hopes to make amends.

in Jindřichův Hradec

on a purple day in early November

Karmelovy Sundaes

...at Cukrárna Myšák. Wonderful Caramel Sundaes on a Wednesday Holiday afternoon with a friend. it was nice. diky

Czech Republic - 21 years of Freedom

Today is the 21st anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, when the people of the Czech Republic united and Communism fell.

Náměstí Miru Cathedral in Autumn

Church of Lady Ludmilla in namesti Miru, on a late Autumn afternoon.

The church steps are often a nice meeting place...

Record High Temperatures this past Weekend

Record high temperatures of almost 20 degrees centigrade were registered in Prague and Ceske Budejovice, south Bohemia, Saturday.

In Prague-Karlov meteorologists measured 19 degrees centigrade, which exceeded the previous record from 1928 (14.9 degrees centigrade) by over four degrees.

At Prague's Klementinum, where temperature has been daily monitored since 1775, 17.8 degrees centigrade were measured Saturday afternoon, compared to the previous record from 1866 (14.6 degrees centigrade).

Edible flowers

Edible flowers... Pansies, visually slowly unfolding to yield...sunshine...on a November morning. ...just because.

The Pansy: "....in addition to their good looks, pansy flowers are edible and make an excellent garnish!" "The whole flower is edible, sepals and all. Pansies have a mild, minty flavor. The flowers work well for candying and make great decorations on top of hor d'oeuvres and cakes." :-)

Cirque du Soleil tady v Praze

WOW, great show! Went to the O2 Arena in Prague 9, Ceskomoravske Metro stop, this evening to see this excellent production by Cirque du Soleil. They were amazing. I had seen them once before in Toronto, many years ago, so when I found out they were going to be here in Prague, bought the tickets back in September.

I wasn't completely sure where down on the main floor... BUT, turned out they were the very front row, center! Unreal! I could have touched them... in fact, I did! I was picked, along with a few others in the front row, to walk arm in arm along the front of the stage area at the beginning of the show with this beautiful Cirque du Soleil star-ka, with long eye lashes and a huge curly nose(mask). :-) Anyway, fun. Beautiful costumes... Amazing acrobatics... ... ...

ahoj.

Today in Prague... Sunday

An amazing Sun-day here in Prague .. Today is brilliant Sunshine, 57 F (at 11:00am), and crystal clear blue skies.... just high wisps of clouds here and there.
I will never tire of this view. I see it every day.

...and as you can see, all the leaves are gone. Marksman Island looks naked. The rain last weekend brought them all to earth.

The picture below adds to the 4 season post the other day. This was taken this morning.

NOTE: it made it up to 65 F today! and stayed sunny the whole day.

Sunday Morning Coffee

...and a new Read. "one of the most talked about fictional debuts of recent years..." Thanks for the suggestion. :-)
"...funny & serious... with friendship, love, three cultures..and a brown mouse". Sounds right up my alley. Hummm.

Some Prague Facades

A Friday Surprise

Hezky, Mam radost...

Entrance to your castle.....

Seen recently in southern Bohemia...

St. Martin's Day & Svatomartinské víno

St. Martin's Wine (Svatomartinské víno) is the first wine from autumn harvest here in the Czech Republic. It is wine similar to Beaujolais in France. The wine comes onto the market here just a matter of weeks after the harvest, and it is intended for instant consumption. The Wine producers recommend this wine be consumed before the next Spring. The trademark "Svatomartinské víno", St. Martin’s wine was not registered until 1995.

The celebration connected with opening of young wine dates back to the period of Emperor Joseph II. It was he who gave permission to begin serving new wine from the autumn harvest just on St. Martin’s Day. The day is symbolic for the end of harvest and the main farming season and the beginning of winter.

St. Martin's wine is a young wine which is dry, light and fresh, with a low alcohol content (usually about 12%) and with a distinctive fruit-like character.

Four wine varietals are used for this special product – Müller Thurgau and Veltlínské červené rané for white wine, and Modrý Portugal and Svatovavřinecké for red or rosé wine.

The wine varieties and the character of the wine are firmly specified. The brand name "Svatomartinské víno” may be used by any wine producer registered in the Czech Republic who is capable of meeting the strict criteria.

On St. Martin's Day to go with this new fresh wine, a St. Martin’s goose, goose liver, stuffed chicken, St. Martin’s cakes or special feast doughnuts are to be consumed as well. .

The 4 seasons of Marksman Island

This is Markman's Island (Střelecký ostrov) as seen in the Past Four Seasons of this year: this past Winter (top - January 2010), Spring (Apr 2010), Summer (July 2010) and now, this Autumn (bottom - 29 Oct 2010)

Střelecký ostrov was used as the practice shooting-ground for marksmen from Old Town, during the 14th and 15th Centuries (hence its name of Marksman...) and then again in the early 19th century, sharp-shooters from the ranks of Prague´s burghers also utilized the island for this type of training purposes.

The island is now home to outdoor movies and concerts in the summer-time; is a place for lovers to walk and for others to study, sun bath or just to enjoy the sights of Prague along the River.

Again, a few more doors

...Autumn in Jindřichův Hradec

More Czech Trains

More trains seen during my travels. Top: Orange health Insurance advertisement on the type of train used mostly here in CZ; 2nd: Communist era "City Elefant"; 3rd: 'OS' short haul train in Křívoklát and bottom photo: the Blue Albatros.